Safe shoes for driving

The types of shoes you should wear when driving a car are sneakers (flat soles) like sports shoes, women's ballet flats, ankle boots, dress shoes, and loafers.

Driving barefoot is controversial, but American drivers can operate a car without wearing any shoes or sandals. In fact, none of the 50 states in the US prohibit it, according toFox News.

Driving barefoot is illegal in the UK, but is allowed in the US. Many women drive in high heels, while others take them off or change to other shoes when they get in the driver's seat.

But in the UK, it’s different. Drivers are banned from driving barefoot. Fines can be as high as $6,300 for wearing inappropriate footwear. The banned list includes rubber boots, high heels, platform shoes, high-heeled sneakers, platform sandals, women’s high-heeled boots, cowboy boots, combat sandals, and men’s knee-high boots, according toExpress.

Various surveys have shown that wearing the wrong footwear can lead to worse consequences than going barefoot. NMRA, an Australian insurance company, asked 1,000 drivers and found that 60% of them still wore flip-flops or high heels while driving. 38% admitted to having lost a shoe before an accident.

Flip flops are not suitable for drivers because they can slip, slide and get caught in the pedals.

Sheilas' Wheels, a British insurance company, found that 80% of women drive wearing inappropriate footwear, such as flip-flops, high heels and bare feet. 10% of survey respondents said they had been involved in a car accident or near-miss due to this reason.

But it’s not just women who wear inappropriate footwear when driving. Another survey by a British insurance company found that 27% of male drivers also wore flip-flops, 22% went barefoot and 10% wore slippers.

Flat shoes are best suited for driving.

The type of footwear a driver wears can have a big impact on driving. Flip-flops lack support from the sole, are prone to slipping, and can get stuck under the pedals, distracting the driver as they try to put their sandals back on.

High heels cause the heel to be raised above the floor of the car, making it feel unreal, making it difficult to feel the brake pedal, accelerator pedal, and being inflexible in emergency situations. Large, wedge-soled shoes also make it difficult for the driver to step on the accelerator or brake, and can even get stuck between the pedals.